A Scottish gay group has criticised an 'unholy alliance' of critics towards the nine Glasgow fire-fighters who were reprimanded for snubbing a gay pride march last June, after the Archbishop of Glasgow and a BNP spokesperson defended the public servants.

The far-right British National Party (BNP) is seeking to gain ground in the forthcoming local elections by playing on false fears about race and immigration, and by seeking to exploit the mythology of a white 'Christian Britain'.